Fire alarm



ApriI 28, 1931 F. CASTRONOVO FIRE ALARM Filed July 5, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 I N VEN TOR. flaw/cum fifl/idwl a ATTORNEY ApriI 28, 1931. F. CASTRONOVO FIRE ALARM 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 5, 1927 l ATTORNEX Patented Apr. 28, 1931 UNITED STATES FRANCESCO CASTRONOVO, OF OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA FIRE ALARM Application filed July 5, 1927.

- The invention forming the subject matter of this application relates to fire alarms.

In large buildings having a number of compartments a fire may break out in any remote part of the building. At present a long time elapses before the fire is discovered or before a fire alarm box can be reached or sounded, therefore the fire hazard is very great. The larger the building and the more compartments therein, the

greater the fire hazard.

The object of the invention is to provide a device which, in case of fire, automatically sounds the fire alarm.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of a convenient size to be placed in any convenient location to sound the fire alarm, and to provide remote connections extended all over the building to actuate said fire alarming device.

A further object of the invention is to provide a fire alarm box and a device for the remote control of said fire alarm box.

The above and other objects in view will more readily appear as the description proceeds.

Although I show and describe a preferred embodiment of my invention, it is to be understood that changes as tothe design construction, form and arrangement of parts may be made within the scope of the claims without departing from the spirit of or sacrificing any or" the advantages of the invention.

In the accompanying two sheets of drawings,

Figure 1 is a sectional view of the compartment of a building showing the arrangement of the remote controlled fire alarm therein.

Figure 2 is a wiring diagram of the electrical alarm box of my device.

Figure 3 is a sectional view of the fire alarm box showing the working parts there- Figure 1 is a cross section taken along the line H of Figure 3.

In order'to provide a fool-proof fire deteeting device, I provide a flexible line,

5 preferably a silk cord leading all over the Serial No. 203,436.

building from room to room. The silk cord 1 is supported on eyebolts 2 secured to the walls adjacent to the molding near to the ceiling of the room. The cord extends through the walls from one'room into the other and the end of said cord is fixedly secured to a hook 3 in the wall of the last room of the building. The silk cord 4 extends through the same room adjacent to the moulding near to the floor of the compartment and similarly extends through the walls of the room and is supported by means of the eyebolts 2 and secured at the ends thereoi to the hook The silk cords 1 and a lead into an alarm box 5, the construction of which, is clearly shown in Figure 3.

The silk cords 1 and 4 enter the chamber of the alarm box 5 through bushings 6 and are slidable therethrough. A bracket 7 is secured to a wall of the alarm box 5. A bar 8 is suspended on said bracket 7 on a pivot 9 located in the center of the bar 8. The silk cord 1 passes through a pulley 10 supporting a weight 11, then it is returned and passes through a guide 12 supported on one end of the bar 8. The endof said cord is tied to the other BIlClOf the bar 8 as at 13. The other silk cord 4 passes through a pulley 10 supporting a second weight ll and then is guided by a pulley or guide 15 supported on the end of the bar 8 and is tied to the opposite end of the bar as at 15. The weights l1 and 14- exert equal downward pull on the ends of the bar 8, thereby to hold the bar 8 in a horizontal position.

The weights 11 and 14 are slidable upwardly and downwardly in the box on rods 17 extending from one wall of the box to the other and secured thereto. The cars 18 on said weights correspond with'the' rods '17 and hold the weights in the same relative position until released. The silk cords are sufiiciently strong to support the weights but they are inflammable, therefore, when a fire breaks out in any remote compartment of the building, the silk cord burns and breaks, thereby releasing the weights 11 or 14. The release of one weight will result in the disturbing of the balance of the bar 8, thereby simultaneously dropping weights. 10G

The weights 11 and 14 actuate an electric alarm sounding device, comprising bell buttons 19 or an other electrical circuit breakers. The bell buttons 19 are pressed by the falling weights 11 and 14, thereby completing the electrical circuit from the batteries 20 to the alarm bell 21, and sound the alarm. A door 22 is attached to one side of the box supported on hinges 23 and held in place by means of a latch 24. WVhen any of the Working parts of the device must be replaced or the weights lifted or the batteries replaced, the opening of the door 22 makes these parts accessible to the operator.

The invention operates as follows: The silk cord 1 is secured at one end thereof to a hook 3 in the wall of the last compartment provided with the fire protection. The other end of the cord 1 is secured to the pulley 13 at the end of the bar 8. The guide pulley 12 opposite the fastening pulley 13 guides the silk cord 1. The weight 11 is supported on the cord 1 near to the guide 12 so that the weight exerts a downward pull on an end of the bar. The other cord 4 is similarly guided in 15 at the other end of the bar 8. The end of said cord is tied to the pulley 16 adjacent to the guide 12. The weight 14 is supported by the cord 4 near to the guide 15 by means of the pulley 10, so that it exerts a downward pull on the other end of the bar. lVhen the ends of the cords are tied to the hooks 3, the silk has suflicient strength and tension to support the weights 11 and 14 in the position shown in Figure 3. When fire breaks out in any of the compartments near to the ceiling the fire burns and breaks the cord 1. hen the fire breaks out near to the floor it will burn and break the cord 4. Assume that the fire burns and breaks the silk cord 1, thereby releasing the weight 11. W eight 11 falls down guided by the rod 17. The downward movement of the weight 11 terminates on the bell button 19 pressing the bell button down and closing one end of the electrical circuits of the bell21.

When the weight 11 rests and is supported on the bell button 19 then the balance of the bar 8 is disturbed, the cord 4 being still tied at 3 to the wall of the building supports the weight 14, the downward pull of the weight 14 on the guide member 15 turns the bar 8 into the position shown in dotted lines in Figure 3, thereby lowering the weight 14 upon the other bell button 19, pressing said bell button and closing the electrical circuit of the bell 21. Now the electrical circuit between the batteries 20 and the bell 21 is closed at both circuit breakers, therefore, the bell rings and the alarm warns the inhabitants of the building that there is a fire in the building.

After the fire is extinguished the silk cord 1 is replaced or mended so that it restores the weights 11 and 14 to the original starting positions thereof, thereby opening the electrical circuit of the alarm.

It is evident that the simplicity of the device makes it adaptable to local conditions. The device may be used as a burglar alarm, so that the person who desires to sound the alarm may cut one of the cords in the room and sound the alarm all over the building. It is not necessary to call on expert aid in order to extend the remote control of the device, it simply involves the extending of the cord to any part of the building.

Having thus described my invention What I now claim as novel and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A device of the character described comprising weights, vertical guides for the weights, a depending bracket, a bar pivoted to the bracket at the center of the bar, guides carried by respective ends of the bar, pulleys mounted on the tops of the weights, cords extending into an area to be protected from fire and anchored at one of their ends and passing around the respective pulleys thence over the guides and anchored at the other of their ends to the bar, a circuit closer in an electric circuit positioned below each of the weights and adapted to be actuated thereby, said pivoted bar rocking to drop each weight on the breaking of either cord, and an alarm in the electric circuit.

2. A device of the character described comprising weights, a bar, pivotal mounting means for the bar, engaging thebar substantially at the center thereof, pulleys, means for securing a pulley to the top of each weight, cords extending into an area to be protected from fire and anchored at one of their ends and passing around the respective pulleys and anchored at their other ends to respective ends of the bar, an electric circuit, an alarm in the electric circuit, circuit closing means for the electric circuit positioned below each of the weights and adapted to be actuated thereby, said pivoted bar rocking to drop each weight upon breaking of either cord.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

FRANCISCO GASTRONOVO. 

